From 'Independence Day' To 'Girls Trip': Best Black Summer Movies
These classics are perfect for a summer rewatch.
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It's already hot out there, and in honor of air-conditioned theaters, we are taking a look at some of the classics that brought the heat to the box office. Here are some classic summer movies, from Will Smith flicks to Girl Trips.
Photo By (Photo: 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures)
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Independence Day (1996) - When 20th Century Fox banked on The Fresh Prince to carry this high-budget summer epic to the top of the box office, their gamble paid off. The until-then-untested star catapulted to the A-list after this film opened first place at the box office. (Photo: Centropolis Entertainment)
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The Inkwell (1994) - Will Smith isn't the only Black movie star to make a splash at the summer box office. We can't forget The Inkwell, the 1994 coming-of-age comedy starring a 19-year-old Larenz Tate, who comes out of his shell during a summer in affluent Martha's Vineyard. The film also stars a fresh-faced Jada Pinkett Smith as Tate's love interest. (Photo: Courtesy Touchstone Pictures)
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Do the Right Thing (1989) - Spike Lee so perfectly captured the searing Brooklyn summer heat in this seminal 1989 film about racial tension in the 'hood, we were practically sweating in the movie theater. The fact that this New York indie managed to stand out against box office competition that included Batman and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids foreshadowed Lee's illustrious career ahead. (Photo: 40 Acres & a Mule Filmworks)
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Men in Black (1997) - Almost one year to the day after Will Smith was recognized as a bonafide movie star on Independence Day, he proved he would be one of the most bankable actors of his generation with this sci-fi comedy about a pair of alien fighting repo men. Before long, his name would become synonymous with the summer box office. (Photo: Courtesy Amblin Entertainment, Columbia Pictures)
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Poetic Justice (1993) - We would have loved to see the looks on studio executives' faces when John Singleton's melancholy urban drama beat out every action-packed, family-friendly flick at the box office the weekend of its release in July 1993. The film also earned an Oscar nod for Best Original Song, Janet Jackson's "Again." (Photo: Courtesy Columbia Pictures)
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Baby Boy (2001) - While Babyboy didn't debut at number one, it was one of the longest-running films of the summer, sticking around in theaters from June until September. With a close to $30 million total box office take, slow and steady won the race for this one. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)
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Hustle & Flow (2005) - This indie drama about the ins and outs of the rap game was the talk of 2005, from its critical attention to its unexpected Oscar win for Best Original Song, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp." Three 6 Mafia taking the Oscar was arguably the highlight of that year's telecast. (Photo: Courtesy Paramount Pictures)
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The Karate Kid (2010) - Will Smith officially passed the torch to his son Jaden when this remake of the '80s classic came out in the summer of 2010, high-kicking straight to the top of the box office charts. The apple clearly doesn't fall far from the money tree! (Photo: Courtesy Columbia Pictures)
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Attack the Block (2011) - Aliens usually tend to invade neatly-trimmed American suburbs, so imagine our surprise (and delight) when this 2011 breakthrough film showed us how they do it in the 'hood. East London, to be exact. Starring newcomer John Boyega (who is now an official star!), Attack the Block stood out as one of the best creature features in recent memory. (Photo: Courtesy Studio Canal)
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Friday (1995) - This stoner comedy starring rapper Ice Cube caught a cult following almost immediately after its release in early April 1995m but lived on throughout the summer. It spawned two sequels and fans are hoping that rumors of a third turn out to be true. (Photo: Courtesy New Line Cinema)
